50 in 2012: Book Eleven

The Story of Beautiful Girl by Rachel Simon

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

1968. A stunningly gorgeous developmentally disabled white woman is shipped off to the School for the Incurable and Feebleminded. There, she meets Homan, an African American deaf man. Lost among the forgotten, the embarrassing, and the hopeless causes, Lynnie and Homan find refuge in each other.

Shown as a multi-acre facility offering a multitude of activity and gorgeous grounds, the reality of “the school” is one of fear, mistreatment, and abuse. Raped by an attendant in a musty closet, Lynnie finds herself with child and Homan becomes her protector. Together, they manage to escape the school. While free, they seek shelter and a home for Lynnie’s newborn baby girl. After sensing something wrong with numerous other homes, Lynnie is drawn to something about Martha’s house and they take a chance, knocking on her door. She offers them food, warmth, and a place for the night. Shortly after settling in, the doors are stormed down by armed officers and Lynnie is taken into custody. Homan runs into the darkness. A secret remains in the house. Lynnie wills herself to speak the first words she’s uttered in years, “hide her.”

While there were chunks of this book that were interminably slow, the characters were so poignant, I found myself devouring the pages to discover what happened. Early in the story, Lynnie talks about the “you” that people see and think you are and the “you” that you know you are. Her parents, the attendants at the school, and strangers often openly discussed her inabilities and questioned her ability to understand in front of her, none of them knowing that she DID understand, she was able. From this moment, Lynnie captured my heart.

Written in alternating chapters: Martha, Lynnie, Homan, and Kate (the one caring person at the school) we are taken on a forty year journey of love, loss and courage. The beginning, end, and characters make this book one that will tug at your heartstrings. The characters will stay with you long beyond the last written word on the page and their stories illustrate the true depth of the human spirit. Beautiful.

Project Life 2012: Book Ten

Save Me by Lisa Scottoline

My rating: 1 of 5 stars

This book started with an extremely thought provoking dilemma: a parent volunteer in the lunchroom finds herself thrown into the middle of a tragic explosion. Does she save the little girl who has been tormenting and bullying her daughter first? Or does she go after her daughter?

Rose McKenna believes she makes the perfect compromise: she guides the three young girls to the hallway and tells them to run outside. She then heads to the handicap bathroom to find her daughter, Melly, who has run off after being tormented by the class bully, Amanda Gigot. The first ten pages of this book broke my heart, brought tears to my eyes, and exposed my deepest fears about sending a child to school. Bullying is an absolutely needless and tragic epidemic, Lisa Scottoline describes the torment and hurt poignantly. However, the plot begins to fall apart and the poignancy is replaced with a kitchy murder mystery starring possibly corrupt politicians and cliche muscled body guards for hire.

One of the most disappointing books I’ve read in a long time.

50 in 2012: Book Nine

Ketchup Is a Vegetable by Robin O’Bryant

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Mommyhood is hard. You have ideas of what it means to be a Mom while pregnant but those are often quickly dashed by the time you give birth. As you maneuver your way through the first year, you learn the ropes, gain confidence, and start to feel as though you know what you’re doing. In our house, months 10 through 15 were favorites, ultimate kiddo cuteness abound.

And then, like many, you decide to change the ballgame, make things more interesting and have a second. Thus negating all said learned wisdom and wiping the slate clean. Two equals a whole different world. There were many days were I thought my ONE was impossible, yet something in me told me to have another. Yes, thank that crazy Mommyhood brain and logic.

Now, three years into my parenting career of two, I can honestly say I am glad we took the chance. The boys now have each other to lean on when they are older and bond over discussions about my parenting flaws. I realize that a sibling is a gift that isn’t always immediately realized and I can only hope they value each other just as much one day. Mostly, I realize I wouldn’t have been able to survive this journey with my sanity in tact had it not been for my amazing group of Mommy friends and family. And a sense of humor.

There are a handful of Moms who are not willing to break it down and keep it real. They are unable to peel off the layers and reveal the truth: Mommyhood is not all fun. In fact, there are days where it just plain sucks. Kids are born with the ability to push every single drive-you-crazy button in your body. Multiple times. Relentlessly. BUT, if you’re lucky, you have a group of peeps you can share this with, complain with, wine with…

Robin O’Bryant writes like I am sitting with her at a Mommy’s Night Out and we’re talking about our little cherubs, heh. Though she is a mom of three girls, she has learned the role temperament plays in one’s parenting game. It doesn’t matter if it’s a boy or a girl, spiciness doesn’t discriminate. I nearly cried laughing so hard while reading her chapter on traveling with kids. Her chapter about sending her oldest to kindergarten made me cry tears of sadness realizing how quickly time flies and realizing that I, too, will be breaking up the boys for a couple years.

I absolutely loved this book. The honesty and humor spoke to me. A free download for Kindle, my first electronic read, LOVED LOVED LOVED!!

50 in 2012: Book Eight

Moloka’i by Alan Brennert

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have been thinking of how to compose a synopsis for this novel that would do it fair justice all day.

Ultimately, it is the tale of one of the strongest, most courageous female protagonists I have read about in a long time. In spite of losing everything, multiple times, Rachel Kalama consistently rises above.

Sent to the island of Molokai, a quarantined leprosy settlement, just seven years old, completely separated from the only home and family she has ever known, she is forced to figure out the world before her entirely on her own. This book is full of sadness, death, and tragedy, yet, in spite of it all, there exists a thread of courage, happiness, and true understanding of what it means to live.

Leprosy robs Rachel of her most prized possessions more times than most experience in a lifetime by the time she is in her mid-twenties, her strength and courage surpasses the limits thought possible for one human being. A truly inspiring, poignant, memorable fictional read based on actual historical events. Wow.

50 in 2012: Book Seven

The Love of Her Life by Harriet Evans

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I had high hopes for this book having really enjoyed Love Always by Harriet Evans. With the promise on the back, “You will cry guaranteed” and the glittery bling on the cover it seemed destined to be read and loved. Not so much.

In all honesty, it was hard to empathize with Kate Miller having just read about two profoundly strong and courageous female protagonists. Kate flees her life in London after a painful experience and heads to New York. Her reasons for leaving revealed, while tragic and indeed painful, weren’t enough to pull it all together for me. I found myself intrigued and more interested in the storyline of Zoe, her best friend, and her struggles to rebuild her life and those of her children after the tragedy that changes her life forever. Disappointing.